Improvement in car-couplings



A. KMOTTL CAR-COUPLING.

Patented Sept. 19, 18,76.

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N. PETERS, PHoTo-LrrHuGRAFMEm WASHINGTON, D C.

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UNITED STATES A FFIGE;

'ALVIN K. MOTT, or ATLANTIC, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 182,381, dated September 19, 1876; application filed August 21, 1876.

matic car-couplin g thatis readily coupled without going in between the cars, and uncoupled from any part of the same. The coupling is adapted to couple with cars of any height, and

with thecommon pin-and-link coupling.

The invention consists of a draw-head, with sliding and spring-acted block or follower, and a fork-shaped locking-piece that slides in side grooves and top perforations of the drawhead, and couples the arrow-shaped head of The forked look-piece is made wider at the lower parts of the legs to admit the forward motion of spring-block and the seating of the lock-piece on the-forward-projecting top flange of the same.

In the. drawing, A represents the draw- .head of my improved car-coupling; B, the sliding and spring-acted block or follower; O, the couplingelink; and I), the verticallysliding fork-shaped lock-piece.

The draw-head A is made with tapering mouth to admit the ready entering of the coupling-link, and of sufiicient height to provide for cars having platforms of different heights. bottom frame of thecar between strong side timbers A, with metal-lined heads, that take up the concussions of the cars when thecush- V ioning-spring of the draw-head is sufficiently compressed. The sliding spring-block or fol lowerB is guided in suitable recesses of the .drawhead, itsface-plate conforming to the shape and sliding in the cavity of the drawhead. 3A; I projecting top flange,a, of the spring-follower Bserves to retain the forked lock-piece inraised position when the link is The draw-head is guided on the uncoupled. The forked piece D slides in interior side grooves 12 of the draw-head,and projects at both sides into the draw-head. The lower parts of the legs or sides of the fork-piece D are recessed to be flush with the inner walls of the draw-head, and form thereby a wider space, which admits, when the fork-piece D is raised to sufficient height, the

forward sliding of the top flange of the follower-block between the ends, so as to support the fork-piece in raised position ready for coupling. The raising orlcwering of the lockpiece D may be accomplished from the top,-.

side, or platform of the car by a rod or chain running up to the top of the car, or by fulcrumed levers extending to the sides of the same, orin any other approved manner.

The coupling-link O is provided witharrowshaped heads, and retained at any height for coupling by the pressure of the .follower against the head of link and against the retainin g sides ofthe lock-piece. The approaching car forces the head of the link along the mouth of the draw-head on the spring-follow er,- and presses the same back till the top flange-releases the sliding lock-piece, which drops and passes back of thehead along the sides of the link into the bottom holes of the draw-head, so as to rigidly couple the link.

The coupling-link has vertical and lateral play, and cannot escape except by raising the locking-piece. One end of the link may be provided with a raised center flange, as

shown in Fig. 1, so as to be sustained more reliably at any heightin the draw-head, while the opposite arrow-head is perforated to connect with the common pin-and-link coupling. The draw heads are coupled close to each other, and form a strong, effective,- and relia- 2. Thecomoination of the slidinganrl spring i acted follower-block B, provided with top flange a, with the vertically-sliding fork-piece lock-piece, to sustain link-at any height for D, being recessed at thelower ends to admit forward motion of topflange when fork-piece is raised, so as to support the same in raised p0- sition, substantially as specified.

3. Thecombinationoftheslidingandispning,

link and the projecting sides cf the forked coupling, substantially as set forth.

ALVIN K. MOTI.

Witnesses:

H2; 1?. BRUING-TON, I. N. HAMMOND. 

